By Susan Voisin 16 Comments
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Privacy Policy.
Jump to Recipe
When I saw 8-ball zucchini at the nearby farm stand, I snatched some up immediately, even though I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with them. After all, who can resist squash the size and shape of a pool ball? Stuffing was the obvious option, because otherwise their cute shape would go to waste.
I stuff things a lot, at least when it comes to dishes that eventually wind up on this blog. After all, stuffed vegetables are cute, and when you’re going to be taking photos of a dish, a stuffed baby eggplant is more attractive than an unstuffed one, though not necessarily tastier.
When it comes to ordinary, not-on-the-blog meals, however, I’m not very fond of stuffing. For one thing, it takes a lot longer than just chopping up the vegetable and, say, roasting it or even making raw “noodles” out of it with a spiral cutter. And for another thing, my daughter E. has a inexplicable dislike of stuffed vegetables: Even when she likes the veggie in question and the ingredients of the stuffing, she will automatically hate the stuffed vegetable. So I tend not to go to the trouble too often.
But, as I said, 8-ball zucchini are just too perfectly suited for stuffing, and since E. was out of the house, I decided to fill these cuties with a simple herbed rice mixture similar to what I’ve used on regular zucchini. This time, however, my variegated basil is in full-force, so I let it be the star of this stuffing. Sun-dried tomatoes lend some depth, and a few Kalamata olives pack their usual punch, but the peppery-fresh taste of basil really makes these stuffed zucchini special.
5 from 2 votes
Print Save Add to Recipe Box
Eight-Ball Zucchini Stuffed with Rice, Basil, and Sun-dried Tomatoes
Prep Time 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes minutes
Total Time 55 minutes minutes
Servings 4
Author Susan Voisin
Ingredients
- 4 8-ball zucchini
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes (not oil-packed)
- 1 1/4 cup cooked brown rice
- 2 tablespoons slivered almonds
- 1 cup basil leaves , chopped
- 5 Kalamata olives , pitted and chopped
Instructions
Cut zucchini tops off about 3/4 inch from the top. Scoop out the insides, being careful to leave a wall about 1/4 inch thick on all sides. Steam zucchini and tops for about 8 minutes, until slightly softened.
Rehydrate the sun-dried tomatoes by soaking them in hot water until softened. Remove from water and chop. Reserve soaking water.
Chop the zucchini pulp. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, and sauté the garlic for about 1 minute. Add the zucchini pulp and cook for 2 more minutes. Add the tomatoes, brown rice and almonds, and if the mixture seems dry, add a splash of the tomato liquid. Add the basil leaves, Kalamata olives, and black pepper to taste. Cook until warm, about 3 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Using a spoon, carefully stuff the rice mixture into the zucchini, mounding slightly on top. Place in an uncovered baking dish and bake for 20 minutes. Serve hot, covered with tops if desired.
Nutrition Facts
Eight-Ball Zucchini Stuffed with Rice, Basil, and Sun-dried Tomatoes
Amount Per Serving (1 zucchini)
Calories 150Calories from Fat 45
% Daily Value*
Fat 5g8%
Sodium 169mg7%
Carbohydrates 24g8%
Fiber 4g17%
Protein 5g10%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutritional info is approximate.
Have you made this recipe?Mention @SusanFFVK and tag #fatfreevegankitchen in your photos on Instagram.
Please pin and share!
Sign up for our newsletter for updates on recipes and more!
Previous Post: « Dal Bhaji (Curried Lentil and Vegetable Sandwiches)
Next Post: Mini Doughnut Muffins »
Reader Interactions
Comments
Karen
August 20, 2009 at 2:53 pmMade this but left off the olives. Used red curry paste instead. season to your taste. WE LOVED IT
Reply
Lisa
September 16, 2010 at 1:12 amwowww I made this tonight and it was oh so good! I made 3 with the ‘ronde de nice’ squash, and 2 with ‘pattypans’ and wow! What a great recipe! Will definitely make again. And again!
Reply
October 18, 2010 at 7:46 pm I tried your recipe, but had to sub zucchini for “ronde de Nice” squash, and I also subbed the rice for quinoa. It was delicious! Thank you!
You can view a picture here :
http://veganamontreal.blogspot.com/2010/10/courgette-ronde-de-nice-farcie-au.htmlReply
Ursula
October 21, 2010 at 8:36 pmHere I was at the grocery store staring at these squash. I was like aww they look so cute. Now never had one. How does one cook one exactly. Then I saw gorgeous red Himalayan rice. Bought that as well. Well match made by accident. Now on to the stuffing since I have plenty of basil in the garden. I definitely will be using this recipe again and again. Thanks!
Reply
katherine
September 12, 2011 at 8:29 pmi made this tonight….it was really great. i also thought i might do a version of this in the fall in acorn squash with maybe walnuts and cranberries.
Reply
Jennifer
August 19, 2012 at 7:27 pmThis recipe is Gluten Free too right? Where is the best place to pick up the eight-ball size? It looks yummy! Can’t wait to try.
Reply
August 19, 2012 at 7:33 pm I can only find them at the farmers’ market here, but you might be lucky enough to find them in your local grocery store.
Reply
Sarah
August 21, 2012 at 12:15 pmI just had to go and get those ball zucchinis I saw recently and did not really know what they where for. So I made my own style of stuffed zucchini…because I bought parsley instead of basil…next time I make a list…and I used normal rice. So I added some rosemary and mushrooms, thought that would go with it. And I must say, it was delicious. So I ate both of them all by myself plus all the left over stuffing…and am full now and happy 🙂
Reply
Esther J
July 11, 2014 at 9:04 amMy community garden’s zucchini crop runneth over, so I’m beginning a zuke kick, starting with this dish, which I made last night to great results. We didn’t have the 8-ball zukes, so I ended up taking a massive one from the garden and making the dish into a casserole of sorts. I doubled the olives and added a half cup of the tomatoes. I folded in one and a half cups of chickpeas, and also added a bit of balsamic vinegar for some acid. Finally, even though there is the rice, I served it over some creamy polenta. Yum!
Delicious, and very easy!
Thanks, Susan! 🙂
Reply
Esther J
July 11, 2014 at 9:15 amOh, yeah, and I added an 8-oz pack of sliced mushrooms that needed to be used up.
Heaven in a bowl.
Reply
June 17, 2015 at 8:28 pm so cute, and look yummy, but couldn’t you just cut large sections from a regular zucchini and use those to stuff? that’s what I am gonna try, see if it works, or if the bottom gets too soft to hold in the stuffing..
Reply
June 22, 2017 at 3:10 pm Definitely! You can also slice regular zucchini lengthwise into “boats.”
Reply
Leave a Reply
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
